Cue tip trimmer



Dec. 11, 1951 H. BOZARTH CUE TIP TRIMMER Filed Nov. 16, 1946 Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUE TIP TRIMMER Harry Bozarth, Muskogee, Okla. Application November 1c, 1946, Serial No. 710,242

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a trimming device, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to a cutter for trimming the leather tips of a billiard cue.

The conventional practice in finishing or trimming the leather tip of a billiard cue is to glue the tip on the cue shaft and then manually trim or remove any excess leather extending over the circumference of the cue shaft by means of a knife or the like. After the excess leather is removed sand paper or a small hand knife may be used to shape or form the tip in any desired configuration. The present device provides for a uniform trimming of the leather tip by properly supporting the tip during the trimming operation, in order to have an efficient and uniform shaping and forming of the tip.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a cue tip sharpener which provides a support for the cue tip in relative proximity with the trimmer in order to provide a uniform shape or form to the tip.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cue tip sharpener wherein the cue tip secured to a cue shaft is allowed to rotate in a slotted support relative to a cutter simultaneously with variable positioning of the cue tip to provide a desired shape or form for the trimmed tip.

And still another object of this invention is to provide a billiard cue tip trimming device which is simple in design, durable and efiicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation of the cue trimmer disclosed in upside down position in order to set out the position of the trimming planer.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the trimmer with the cue tip removed.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the cue tip in cutting position.

Figure 4 is a detail view in elevation of the cutting blade.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the finished one tip.

Figure 6 is a detail of the cue shaft showing the cue tip thereon.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the supporting member.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character 2 comprises an angled plate preferably bent at right angles to provide one leg member 4 end thereof by gluing or'the like.

while the opposite leg member 6 is cut away to provide a recess 8. The plate 2 is preferably disposed in an inverted position for guiding a cue shaft. The slot 8 extends'beyond the point of bending to provide a smaller V-shaped slot It in the plate portion 4 for a purpose as will be hereinafter set forth. The plate portion 4 is provided with a pair of spaced apertures (not shown) through which extend the bolts l2 for receiving any suitable planer l4 held thereto by the wing nuts I6. Suitable washers or spacing members (unnumbered) are provided on the bolts l2 between the planer I4 and the plate 2 in order to provide a slight spacing therebetween. From Figures 1 and 2 it will be apparent that the planer I 4 is providedwith the usual cutting blade 13 adapted to be adjustably held in position by the threaded shaft 11. Furthermore, the cutting edge 20 of the blade I8 is allowed to be transversely disposed across the V-shaped slot l0 as is particularly disclosed in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 3 the usual billiard shaft 22 is provided with a leather tip 24 secured to the As is Well known, the cue tips must be formed or shaped after they are secured to the shaft. In the present device the cue shaft 22 and particularly the outer periphery 26 of the tip 24 is allowed to rest in the V slot II], as shown in Figure 3. In this position it will be apparent that the tip 24 is placed in immediate contact with the cutting edge 20 of the blade l8, and rotation of the shaft 22 will cause the blade l8 to trim the excess leather in order to form or shape the outer periphery 26 of the tip with a substantially arcuately tapered configuration, as shown in Figure 6.

It is to be noted in Figures 5 and 6 that the tip 24 is provided with a fiat portion 28 in the immediate centerthereof. This is desirable in all finished tips in order to have a better contact for the tip. In order to assure that a flat portion 28 cooperating with the arcuately tapered portion 30 will always be formed on the cue tip, the cutting edge 20 of the planer blade is disposed slightly off center to a medial line of the V- shaped slot l0 (Figure 2) so that the edge 20 in its olT center position will trim along the outer edges of the tip 24 and toward the center portion 28. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the tapered cutting face 20 of the blade I8 is irregularly shaped to provide two flat portions 32 and 34 of varying taper. The beveled portion 32 adjacent the cutting edge 20 provides for the cutting of the tip from the outer periphery of the tip toward the center 28 thereof.

It will be apparent from Figures 2 and 3 that the operator may move the cue shaft 22 toward and away from the cutting edge 20 of the blade l8 to provide the arcuate contour of the tip 24 during rotation of the shaft in the cutting operation. Similarly, the V-shaped slot provides for variable'sized shafts and cue tips which may be used with the present cutting tool, at the same time the freedom of movement of the shaft 22 in the slot will allow for the complete removal of excess leather and provide for the uniform configuration of the outer periphery 26 of the cue tip 24.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the cue tip forming device of the present invention provides a simple and inexpensive means of quickly and efliciently forming and shaping the outer contour of a cue tip for a billiard shaft. Furthermore, the trimming device provides for shaping a substantially uniform arcuate contour for the tip, yet always assuring that a flat central portion in the center of the tip will be present in order to provide uniformity in the cue tip as desired.

Changes may be made in the specifications and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the following claims as set forth.

What I claim is:

1. In a cue tip trimmer comprising plate for supporting a tipped cue shaft, said plate including an angularly extending leg portion, a V- shaped. slot provided in the plate for guiding the shaft, a stationary blade secured on the support member with the cutting edge of the blade positioned parallel to a plane passing through the apex of and bisecting the V-shaped slot, said cutting edge being offset slightly from the apex to provide the proper contour for the cue tip.

2. In a cue tip trimmer comprising plate acting as a support for a cue shaft, said plate including an angularly extending leg portion, a V-shaped slot provided in the plate for adjustably guiding a shaft adapted to be rotatable therein, a planer secured to the plate and provided with a cutting blade having the cutting edge of. the blade positioned parallel to a plane passing through the apex of and bisecting the v shaped slot, said cutting edge being offset from the apex to provide the proper cutting contour for the cue tip.

HARRY BOZARTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 180,667 Smith Aug. 1, 1876 1,806,656 Ward May 26, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 287,302 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1928 

